Tomato Rootstock Performance under Non-fumigated Open Field Conditions

Using grafted tomato plants in open field vegetable production must overcome numerous challenges before it is accepted by the industry in the United States.  Studies were performed on grafted tomatoes in a raised bed system under plasticulture with both drip and seepage irrigation. Experiments were conducted in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.  The  rootstocks tested include ‘Aloha’, ‘Camel’,  ‘Multifort’, ‘BB’,’ HI-7997’ and ‘FL-91’as the controls, which were self-grafted and used as the scion.  All plants were grown for 30 days under greenhouse conditions.  After reaching a stem diameter between 1.5 and 2.0 mm the plants were grafted. The experiments were a randomized complete-block design with 4 replicates.   Total yields were calculated in 11.4 Kg boxes per hectare.  In the Palm Beach trial, ‘Aloha’, ‘Multifort’, and ‘Camel’ had yields of 2845, 2821, and 2727 boxes, respectively.  Yields for ‘BB’, FL‑91 (control) and ‘HI‑7997’ were 2529, 2317, and 2087 boxes, respectively.  The increase in yield for ‘Aloha’ and ‘Multifort’ was 22% or greater than the ‘FL-91’ control.  The rootstock ‘HI‑7997’ had significantly less yield and smaller fruit size than the other rootstocks.